Method and Device for Filling Containers

ABSTRACT

A method and device for filling a container with tablets; the device has a conveyor for feeding the container through a number of filling stations, at each of which is located a respective dispenser unit for dropping a predetermined number of tablets from the bottom end of a stack of tablets into the container.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and device for filling a container.

The present invention may be used to advantage in the packing of confectionery products, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for filling a container with single (i.e. separate) articles.

BACKGROUND ART

Known devices for filling a container normally comprise a conveyor for feeding the container through a filling station, where a feed assembly feeds a number of articles into the container. The articles are normally fed to the filling station by a so-called “slat” conveyor and drop freely down a funnel-shaped chute into the container.

One example of a known (device for filling containers is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,743.

Known devices of the type described above have numerous drawbacks, including: frequent clogging of the chute; damage to the articles, especially as they drop down the chute into the container; inconsistency in the number of articles fed into the containers; low output rate; and cleaning difficulties—in particular, the slat conveyor must be dismantled completely to be cleaned.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a filling device and method designed to at least partly eliminate the drawbacks of the known art, and which at the same time are cheap and easy to implement.

According to the present invention, there are provided a device and method for filling containers, as claimed in the accompanying independent Claims and, preferably, in any one of the Claims depending directly or indirectly on the independent Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a partial front view of a device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a larger-scale detail of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a larger-scale, partial view in perspective of a further detail of the FIG. 1 device;

FIGS. 4 and 5 show partly sectioned side views of a detail of FIG. 1 in two successive operating positions;

FIG. 6 shows a section along line VI-VI of the FIG. 4 detail.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in FIG. 1 indicates as a whole a device for filling a container 2, and which comprises a conveyor assembly 3 for feeding container 2 continuously along a substantially horizontal path P through a number of filling stations 4; and a number of feed assemblies 5, each located at a respective filling station 4 to feed a given number of single articles 6—in particular, tablets—into container 2 through an upward-facing opening 7 of container 2.

It should be pointed out that alternative embodiments may comprise other than the ten feed assemblies 5 shown in the FIG. 1 embodiment.

Conveyor assembly 3 (FIG. 3) comprises two substantially parallel chains 8 and 9 moving in time with each other along path P, and of which chain 8 is located above chain 9.

Conveyor assembly 3 also comprises a number of clamping members 10 projecting horizontally from chain 9 to accompany and push containers 2 along path P. In actual use, each container 2 is housed between two successive clamping members 10.

Conveyor assembly 3 also comprises a number of—in the example shown, three—rails 11, between which, in use, container 2 slides as it is fed along path P; and a top rail 12 for holding a panel T of container 2 in such a position as to permit free access to the inside of container 2 through opening 7.

With particular reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, device 1 comprises a number of actuator assemblies 13, each for activating feed assemblies 5 as container 2, in use, is positioned at (i.e. travels past) respective filling stations 4.

Each actuator assembly 13 comprises a respective supporting-plate 14 fitted integrally to chain 8; and a respective arm 15 having one end 16 fitted to supporting plate 14 to oscillate about a respective substantially horizontal axis 17 parallel to path P.

Each actuator assembly 13 also comprises a respective elastic member 18 (in particular, a spring) having one end 19 connected to relative supporting plate 14, and one end 20 connected to relative arm 15. Each elastic member 18 holds relative arm 15 in a lowered position (shown in FIG. 4), while at the same time allowing arm 15 to swing upwards into a raised position (shown in FIG. 5).

Each actuator assembly 13 also comprises a respective bearing 21 fitted to relative arm 15 and rotating about a respective axis 22 substantially crosswise (in particular, perpendicular) to axis 17. When actuator assembly 13, in use, arrives at filling stations 4, bearing 21, as it travels parallel to path P, comes into contact with a profile B, and is raised to move arm 15 into the raised position (FIGS. 4 and 5).

Each feed assembly 5 (FIGS. 1 and 2) comprises a respective dispenser unit 23 for feeding a given number of articles 6 (in the example shown, one) into container 2; and a respective feed conduit 24 for feeding articles 6, stacked one on top of another, downwards from a hopper 25 (shown schematically in FIG. 1) to relative dispenser unit 23.

Each feed conduit 24 (as shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5) is bounded externally by a respective coiled elastic sheath, and is deformable to adapt to the geometry of device 1, and to allow fast, easy intervention by the operator in the event feed conduit 24 becomes clogged. In this connection, it should be stressed that the coiled elastic sheath enables visual location of a jammed article 6, by stretching feed conduit 24, and release of the jammed article 6, by moving feed conduit 24, with no need to remove any other parts, or stop operation, of device 1.

Each dispenser unit 23 comprises a respective conduit 26, which extends substantially vertically, has a top end 27 connected to a bottom end 28 of relative feed conduit 24, and provides for feeding the stacked articles 6 downwards.

Each dispenser unit 23 also comprises a respective annular connecting member 29 (see in particular FIG. 6) mounted substantially coaxially with conduit 26 and oscillating about a substantially horizontal axis 30 crosswise to conduit 26. A respective control arm 31 is connected integrally to each connecting member 29, and is raised by arm 15 when arm 15 is in the raised position.

Each dispenser unit 23 also comprises two respective arms 32 and 33 extending downwards on opposite sides of axis 30 and, in particular, substantially vertically from connecting member 29. A respective supporting tab 34 is connected to a bottom end 35 of each arm 32, and extends substantially horizontally to support, in use, from underneath and in a relative position L over path P, a bottom article 6′ of a stack 36 of articles 6 formed inside conduit 26 and feed conduit 24 (FIG. 4). A respective supporting tab 37 is connected to a bottom end 38 of each arm 33, and extends substantially horizontally inside a hole H in conduit 26.

In actual use, when control arm 31 is raised (FIG. 5), the connecting member and arms 32 and 33 oscillate about axis 30, so that article 6′ drops down, and supporting tab 37 supports the bottom of stack 36 by moving into contact with the next article 6 up from article 6′. As can be seen, the number of articles 6 fed into container 2 at each filling station 4 can be changed easily by changing the length of arm 33 and the location of hole H along conduit 26.

Device 1 also comprises a number of known detectors 39 (shown schematically), each located at a bottom end of each conduit 26 to detect passage of articles 6 along conduit 26 and, therefore, insertion of articles 6 inside container 2; and a control unit 40 connected electrically to detectors 39, and for activating one or more feed assemblies 41 as a function of the findings of detectors 39. More specifically, upon detectors 39 finding a given number of articles 6 have not been fed into container 2, a number of feed assemblies 41, corresponding to said given number, are activated to make up for the detected shortage. Obviously, if each feed assembly 41 provides for feeding only one article 6 into container 2, the number of feed assemblies 41 activated equals the given number of articles 6 not fed into container 2.

It should be pointed out that, though the FIG. 1 embodiment comprises two feed assemblies 41, device 1 may comprise a different number of feed assemblies 41, e.g. one, three or four.

Feed assemblies 41 are located along path P, downstream from feed assemblies 5, and are substantially identical to feed assemblies 5, the only difference being that they are activated pneumatically, as opposed to mechanically by the passage of actuator assemblies 13.

Operation of one feed assembly 5 will now be described, as of the instant in which container 2 is fed to respective filling station 4.

As container 2 enters filling station 4, arm 15 is moved into the raised position (FIG. 5), by the interference of bearing 21 with profile B, and contacts an end 42 of control arm 31 opposite connecting member 29. End 42 is thus raised, so that connecting member 29 and arms 32 and 33 oscillate about axis 30, article 6′ drops down (FIG. 5), and stack 36 is supported from underneath by supporting tab 37. It should be pointed out that, at this stage, container 2 is positioned directly beneath conduit 26, and article 6′ is detached from the bottom end of stack 36.

Once container 2 leaves filling station 4, end 42 is lowered and, by virtue of a spring system (not shown), connecting member 29 and arms 32 and 33 oscillate about axis 30 in the opposite direction to before, so that stack 36 drops down and is supported from underneath by supporting tab 34, and the bottom end of stack 36 moves into the position L formerly occupied by article 6′.

It should be pointed out that, by articles 6 defining stack 36 at filling station 4, the number of articles 6 fed into container 2 can be controlled extremely accurately, and articles 6 can be transferred from the feed assembly into container 2 extremely quickly, with no risk of damaging articles 6. Feeding container 2 continuously along path P, combined with fast insertion of articles 6 inside container 2, provides for achieving extremely fast filling speeds.

The overall output rate of device 1 is further improved by the possibility of activating feed assemblies 41, and of clearing conduits 24 with no need to remove any other parts of device 1 and/or shut down device 1. 

1. A method of filling a container with articles, the method comprising a step of: feeding the container along a path through a first filling station where at least a first article is fed into the container through an opening of the container; and feeding the container through at least a second filling station where at least a second article is fed into the container through the opening of the container, wherein the first articles are fed to the first filling station successively, so as to define a first stack of the first articles and the second articles are fed to the second filling station successively, so as to define a second stack (36) of the second articles.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first article is detached from a relative end of the first stack, and then fed into the container.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first article is fed downwards into the container.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: a standby step, wherein the first article is maintained in a position over the path; and a release step, wherein the first article is allowed to move downwards away from the first stack and into the container, wherein in the course of the release step, the first stack being is maintained substantially fixed, and the container is positioned at the first filling station.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a loading step, wherein the first stack is advanced until relative end of the first stack reaches the position over the path.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first stack is fed downwards to the first filling station.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second article is fed to the second filling station and into the container as defined for the first article.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is conveyed along the path.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is fed along the path through a third filling station downstream from the first filling station; the method further comprising a control step to determine whether the first article is fed into the container and, in the event the first article is not fed into the container, at least a third article is fed into the container through the opening of the container at the third filling station.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the third article is fed to the third filling station and into the container as defined for the first article.
 11. A device for filling a container, the device comprising: a conveyor assembly for feeding the container through a first filling station; a first feed assembly located at the first filling station to feed at least a first article into the container through an opening of the container, wherein the conveyor assembly feeds the container through at least a second filling station; a second feed assembly located at the second filling station to feed at least a second article into the container through the opening of the container, the first feed assembly feeding the first articles successively to the first filling station, so as to define a first stack of the first articles and the second feed assembly feeding the second articles successively to the second filling station, so as to define a second stack of the second articles.
 12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first feed assembly comprises a dispenser unit for detaching the first article from an end of the first stack and feeding the first article into the container.
 13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the dispenser unit comprises: first retaining means for retaining the first article in a position over a path; second retaining means for retaining the first stack directly over the position; and control means for activating the first retaining means and simultaneously deactivating the second retaining means, the control means also activating the second retaining means and simultaneously deactivating the first retaining means to feed the first article downwards into the container.
 14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first retaining means comprise a first supporting member for supporting the first article from underneath, and a first arm connected substantially integrally to the first supporting member and crosswise to the first supporting member; the second retaining means comprise a second supporting member for supporting the second stack from underneath, and a second arm connected substantially integrally to the second supporting member and crosswise to the second supporting member; and the control means comprises a connecting member connected integrally to the first and second arm, and mounted to oscillate about an axis crosswise to the first and second supporting member.
 15. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first feed assembly comprises a feed conduit for feeding the first articles, stacked one on top of another, downwards to the dispenser unit; and the feed conduit comprises an elastically deformable coiled sheath, inside which the first articles slide in use.
 16. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second feed assembly comprises a feed conduit for feeding the second articles, stacked one on top of another, downwards to the dispenser unit; and the feed conduit comprises an elastically deformable coiled sheath, inside which the second articles slide in use.
 17. The device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising at least a third feed assembly downstream from the first feed assembly and for feeding at least a third article into the container; detecting means for determining whether the first article is fed into the container; and a control unit for activating the third feed assembly on the basis of the findings of the detecting means.
 18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the third feed assembly comprises a feed conduit for feeding the third articles, stacked one on top of another, downwards to the dispenser unit; and the feed conduit comprises an elastically deformable coiled sheath, inside which the third articles slide in use.
 19. A method of filling a container with articles, the method comprising the step of: feeding the container along a path through a first filling station where at least a first article is fed into the container through an opening of the container, the container being fed through at least a second filling station; and a control step to determine whether the first article is fed into the container; and, in the event the first article is not fed into the container, at least a second article is fed into the container through the opening of the container at the second filling station.
 20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first articles are fed to the first filling station successively, so as to define a first stack of the first articles and the second articles are fed to the second filling station successively, so as to define a second stack of the second articles.
 21. A device for filling a container, the device comprising: a conveyor assembly for feeding the container through a first filling station; a first feed assembly located at the first filling station to feed at least a first article into the container through an opening of the container; at least a second feed assembly, located at a second filling station downstream from the first feed assembly, to feed at least a second article into the container; detecting means for determining whether the first article is fed into the container; and a control unit for activating the second feed assembly on the basis of the findings of the detecting means, wherein the conveyor assembly feeds the container through the second filling station.
 22. (canceled)
 23. The device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first feed assembly feeds the first articles successively to the first filling station, so as to define a first stack of the first articles and the second feed assembly feeds the second articles successively to the second filling station, so as to define a second stack of the second articles. 